Within A Shattered World
by death-in-the-orchard
Summary: Kenshin and Saito are caught in an explosion. Kenshin is betrayed by I'izuka and Kenshin has a boy who likes him. shounen-ai warning hints at SaitoxKenshin
1. Chapter 1

Pinned under the ruble after the explosion, Saito groaned as he came to. He was disturbed to find a warm and breathing body pushing on his chest. The person's small frame was rising and falling gently, and he could feel the breath on his chest and neck. Also a delicate hand was slightly curled near the person's face. Saito glared at the body, disturbed as he realized who the owner had to be. He had been engaged in a fight with the Hitokiri Battousai when the bomb caught both of them by surprise.

"Battousai!" he hissed, aggravated at the unconscious body. He could feel dampness on his side where Kenshin was bleeding from a cut on his arm, or so Saito guessed that was where it was coming from. Kenshin didn't stir when Saito said this. Saito hissed again to the same effect. Finally he pushed Kenshin into the rubble that hung over them with his knee roughly. Kenshin coughed and there was a shower of dust that made his cough harsher.

Kenshin tried to move, but something sharp prevented him from moving his legs and too much ruble smothered him to let him try to move any other part of his body. Kenshin realized he was lying on Saito's chest and he lifted his head to limit the contact between them. They were trapped together, and who knew for how long. Saito kneed Kenshin again.

"Ow! Stop that already! I'm awake!" Kenshin yelled at him in annoyance.

"Good," Saito said emotionlessly. "Now get off of me."

"I can't, I'm stuck." Kenshin tried to move again.

"Stop squirming!"

"You told me to get off!" Kenshin noticed a little patch of light where the moon's beams reached. "There's an opening somewhere over there. To the left, your right, there's some moonlight."

"Good, at least there's some air." Saito said, looking for it.

Kenshin sighed. "What the hell kind of situation is this?"

Saito didn't say anything. Kenshin felt it was odd that their breathing was so off, so he tried to synchronize his to Saito's. Saito noticed this. "Why…"

Kenshin was ready for the question and cut in. "It was annoying."

Saito agreed with him silently. After a few minutes Kenshin put his head back on Saito's chest, making him protest.

"I can't possibly hold my head in that position forever."

Saito was quiet, looking into the darkness that possibly consisted of a foot of open space. "You're awful calm."

Kenshin moved his head slightly, giving up halfway at looking at Saito. "Am I not supposed to be? Someone will come soon to inspect the explosion, so it's not going to take that long."

"There are two things that you should worry about." Saito said, perking Kenshin's interest. "First, you are lying on top of a man that is likely to kill you. Second, if the Shinsengumi find us, they'll kill you and free me."

Kenshin didn't bat an eye. "There's nothing I can do about that."

There were some voices heard outside, and Kenshin picked up his head. "I recognize those voices."

"Shit." Saito cursed. Kenshin moved his head to look up at him.

"They won't be able to kill you…none of them are that strong."

"Even while I try to get out? You mean you won't try to kill me?" Saito growled.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed. "You can get out first for all I care. I wouldn't do something like that."

Saito didn't say anything. The voices can nearer, and now what they were saying could be understood. "Himura!"

"I'izuka!" Kenshin called. The voice and footsteps stopped and started in their direction.

"Himura?" Saito asked.

Kenshin didn't bother looking up at him. "My last name, what else? My name isn't actually Battousai." Kenshin paused. "I'izuka!"

The moonlight that Kenshin had seen filtering in was blocked. "Hirmura?"

"I'm stuck."

There was a pause. "I'izuka, could you pull away some of the ruble?"

I'izuka laughed, startling Saito and making Kenshin frown in confusion. "That's just perfect." And he left, closing the hole. "It's not him!" came a muffled voice. Some other voices mumbled in confusion but were satisfied by some answer.

"What?" Kenshin whispered. "I'izuka! What kind of joke is this?" His voice died. "Damn him."

"Nice comrade. Are all Ishin shishi like this?"

"No." Kenshin said immediately. "But…I've been with him for two years now and he's supposed to supervise me…well, that doesn't matter much." Kenshin took a breath. "I'm Himura Battousai to everyone except two people in this world, I guess."

"Who?"

"Kastura-sensei and…someone else."

Saito started. "The Katsura Kogoro?"

"Yeah, he convinced me that by becoming the Battousai that I would be helping people. I've yet to see that though. All I seem to be able to do is murder…"

"What is your name?"

"It's not my original name, so if you try to research anything on me it'll come up blank."

Saito tried to mask his surprise that Kenshin realized he was trying to coax information from him.

"Since that's the case it won't make a difference if I tell you. My name is Himura Kenshin."

Saito was quiet for a moment.

"What the hell was he thinking?" Kenshin said, referring to I'izuka. Saito could feel Kenshin's jaw tighten in frustration. Minutes past and they said nothing. Then more muffled voices were heard.

"Shinsengumi?" Kenshin asked Saito.

"How can I possibly tell?" Saito said angrily. "Damn that I'izuka fool."

Kenshin laughed. "I'll tell him you said that."

Saito glared. "Don't laugh anymore."

Kenshin was silent and the voices came closer. The clanks of wood could be heard as the voices rummaged through the rubble. "Saito-sama?"

Kenshin could feel Saito's recognition and was quiet as Saito called out to them.

"Here! Over here!" Saito noticed Kenshin catch his breath for a moment.

A voice that was close could be heard removing the rubble overhead, and dust filtered down. Suddenly part of the rubble became unstable and collapsed on them. Kenshin caught it on his back holding himself above Saito with his arms, gritting his teeth at the shock his muscles received under the massive weight. "What is he doing?" Kenshin whispered in frustration.

"Hey, careful! You're going to make it collapse!" Saito called. He was returned with a desperate apology.

Kenshin's arms were shaking, but as the weight lessened, so did the shaking. Kenshin sighed with relief when the weight became bearable. Moonlight filtered by Saito's face and he could partially see the man who was trying to dig him out, and he noticed another figure join to help. Saito reached up and made the hole bigger by pushing outwards at the overhanging rubble.

With more room to move around, he slipped out partially from under Kenshin who was still bearing the weight of the ruble, sweat dripped down his face. Saito looked at him, being able to see him fully for the first time since they had been trapped. He continued to scrape at the rubble, and finally he pushed through and got out.

Saito coughed at the plume of dust that rolled off of him. One of the men started patting the dust off, but he brushed the man away and did it himself. Saito looked at the hole as Kenshin didn't get out. He noted that his men had also stopped digging.

He hefted a heavy board off of the pile and continued to push off chunks of wall and concrete.

"Saito-sama?" one of the men asked Saito, but both looked at him questioningly.

"There's another person down there." Saito said emotionlessly. He picked off another slab of concrete and a plank of wood, covered with plaster and a few nails. The pile suddenly started to shift, but it stopped again, so Saito continued. The men joined him. After a few moments, the rubble fell away as Kenshin pushed himself out from under it. He was white with ash and dust.

One of the men closer to Kenshin reached out to help him stand. Kenshin hesitated, but took the hand, much to Saito's surprise. Once out of the pile he began to brush himself off. The man who had helped him stepped back with a gasp and he unsheathed his sword, making Kenshin look up at him in curiosity.

"Saito-sama! It's the Battousai."

"Yeah, I know." The men gaped at Saito as he said this.

Kenshin stood before the two men who held katana, unarmed as he had lost his sword in the rubble. He didn't say anything as they argued with Saito about why he had unburied Kenshin. Saito turned to look Kenshin over. "He's harmless right now. Look, he doesn't have a katana on him."

Both of the men turned, and when their eye's confirmed this they sighed with relief. "Then let's kill him." Saito watched Kenshin. Kenshin didn't move.

"Why do you just stand there?" he said to Kenshin, startling his men.

"Saito-sama! Don't talk to him! He's a monster, he won't understand anyway." one of his men insisted, anxiously.

"I want to get my katana out of the rubble." Kenshin said looking at Saito. "You need to get yours also."

"No, Saito-sama! He just wants to kill us! If he finds yours or his own he'll…" Saito cut off the excited man.

"I'm going to look for my katana, if you're worried, let me borrow one of your katana."

"You'll kill him?" said one of the men who eagerly handed Saito his sword.

"No, but like you said, if he finds one of the katana….then you don't have to worry." Saito said, walking past the dismayed man to the pile. He walked past Kenshin, and Kenshin then turned to look for his sword.

Saito's men watched anxiously for a moment before helping Saito, with him between them and Kenshin. Kenshin's arms still ached, and he moved at a slower pace than Saito, but he found Saito's sword and pulled it out of the rubble to the two men's horror.

Saito put his hand on the katana at his waist as Kenshin made a movement towards him, but Kenshin stopped and handed the sword to Saito. Saito didn't take it right away.

"Here. It's yours, take it." Kenshin stood in front of Saito, a little frustrated at his response. Saito took it and Kenshin turned from him, back to the pile. One of the men suddenly pulled out Kenshin's blade from the debris.

Kenshin looked up at the man emotionlessly.

The man looked from Saito to Kenshin. "Saito-sama, you know he only gave you your katana in hopes of getting his own. He probably doesn't like to kill people unless it's this…" he held up Kenshin's katana in disgust. "instrument of death." He glared at Kenshin from the top of the pile, moonlight making his figure ghostly and his eyes bright. "We should kill him."

Kenshin narrowed his eyes slightly, offended by the man's words. Saito turned, "I'm leaving, do whatever you want."

The man smiled malevolently and advanced on Kenshin. As he was about to cut Kenshin down, Kenshin removed his metal sheath and dodged the man, striking the man in the back of the arm in the process. The man dropped the sword, falling to his knees grasping his arm. He gasped as Kenshin quickly grabbed it, and Saito turned around.

"You're a monster!" the man accused Kenshin, and Kenshin flinched and glared at him. Saito started in their direction. Kenshin grasped the man's shirt, lifting him until their eyes were level. He sheathed his sword, startling both of the men and Saito who stopped.

"I'm a human being, damn it!" Kenshin yelled at the man, looking him dead in the eye. He dropped the frightened man and glared at Saito. "And you too. I told you that I wasn't going to kill you in this situation."

Saito was amazed. "You…."

"What?" Kenshin stopped as he was about to turn to leave. He blocked Saito's attack. "What are you doing?" Kenshin asked, surprised.

"You're just weakened and trying to avoid a fight." Saito glared at him darkly.

Kenshin's eyes sparked with fury. He attacked Saito, who didn't expect Kenshin to have so much power. Saito's sword flew into the rubble and Kenshin glared at him. Saito pulled out his own sword, but Kenshin put his away and turned to leave. Kenshin ignored Saito as he protested.

Saito held his sword against the back of Kenshin's neck, and Kenshin stopped. "Why are you doing this Saito?" Kenshin said this quietly.

Saito growled. "I can't understand you."

"So you'll just kill me?" Kenshin waited for Saito to answer, but he didn't. "Kill me." Kenshin said more forcefully. "Or let me go. I won't fight you."

Saito was quiet, then he heard one of his men. "If you don't Saito-sama, I will." The man ran forward.

Kenshin turned as the man made to impale his sword through Kenshin, and he dodged. "I didn't say you could kill me." Kenshin said, surprising Saito.

"Then why say so for me?"

"I don't know." Kenshin started on his way again, but stopped with a smile. "I'll be sure to send your message on to I'izuka." Kenshin said and he walked towards the shadows of Kyoto, but stopped suddenly.

"What are you going to tell me?" I'izuka stepped out of the shadows.

"I'izuka?" Saito watched with interest. Kenshin walked up to I'izuka and was arguing with him. The I'izuka put a cloth up against Kenshin's mouth. Kenshin pushed I'izuka violently, but collapsed on the ground. Saito was astonished, even more so as the man called I'izuka motioned for him to come over.

"Kill him, or else I will and I'll have to blame it one you guys anyway." I'izuka said, stuffing away the cloth.

"This is perfect!" one of Saito's men said, but Saito ignored him and with a scowl he cut off I'izuka's head.

"Fool." Saito said to the body. His men were not very surprised.

"He was pretty stupid to just leave himself open like that." Then they gasped as Saito put his sword away and picked up Kenshin. He stared at the men and then suddenly forced Kenshin into one of their arms. "What?" cried out the confused man, then was taken by surprise. "He's so…light and small…."

"Exactly." said Saito. He ripped his shirt and blindfolded Kenshin. "We'll take him back. He has direct connections with Katsura Kogoro, so he's probably well informed."

The men walked back to the inn they were staying at.

Kenshin sat up. He was in a bed, but he knew that it wasn't his own. What had that damn I'izuka done? Kenshin thought as he sat up and noticed a guard's presence at the door. There a cloth on his arm, and his sword was gone, but he wasn't restrained. Saito? The Shinsengumi? Kenshin thought in confusion, knowing that he was at their current base.

There were voices outside the door, and it suddenly opened to reveal a familiar face to Kenshin. A bored looking boy and the guard came in as the guard talked about how the boy was going to lose his emotionless expression when he saw the terrifying Battousai.

"Takahiro?" Kenshin said in astonishment, astounding the boy and the guard.

The guard sputtered and the boy's face lit up into a wide grin. "Kenshin-nii!" the boy tackled Kenshin, laughing. "It's Kenshin-nii!"

The guard pulled the boy away in fear. "That's the Hitokiri Battousai! Fool!" The boy pouted.

"Liar! That's Kenshin-nii! He would never hurt anyone."

Kenshin was quiet. "Takahiro…it's true."

Takahiro's eyes widened. "But…but that doesn't matter!" he yelled and jumped on Kenshin again. "Play with me Kenshin-nii, I'm bored here. The old guys are really boring."

Kenshin was speechless, but he smiled warmly startling the guard. The guard reached for the boy again, but the boy bit him, making him yell. The door slid open and Saito and another man came in, it also revealed another older boy in the background. Upon seeing his brother, the boy also came into the room.

"Takahiro!" the man gasped and he ripped the boy off of Kenshin. Saito was in shock. "Are you alright?" the father fretfully looked the boy over.

The boy pouted. "I want to play with Kenshin-nii!"

"Kenshin?" the man and Saito asked. Then the man continued. "That's the Hitokiri…"

The boy cut him off. "Battousai." He finished, shocking his father and Saito further. "I just found out, but I met Kenshin-nii before and he's really fun and I'm really bored!" the child stamped his foot.

Takahiro's brother walked up to him, looking at Kenshin. "You really know this Onee-san?" Kenshin frowned and the men in the room were aghast.

"I'm not an Onee-san, I'm an Onii-san." Kenshin corrected.

The boy stared at him blankly. "But you're a girl." The men coughed and Saito couldn't help but laugh.

"You're son's a moron." Saito said while laughing. The boy glared at him.

Kenshin sighed. "No, I'm not a girl. It's okay, I get that a lot from kids."

Saito stopped laughing and the other men gawked. Such strange information about the Battousai was overwhelming them.

Takahiro took this chance to tackle Kenshin again. "Kenshin-nii! Shouhei-nii is just like me! He thought you were a girl too!" This disturbed the men further. The father tried to remove Takahiro, but the boy bit him and growled. "I want to play with Kenshin-nii!"

Shouhei grabbed his father's sleeve. "I want to too!"

The father stood speechless. Then he collected himself. "You are too old Shouhei and do you know how dangerous he is? Onii-san? He's more of an Oni!" (Onii-san means big brother, Onee-san means older sister, and Oni means demon or monster)

Kenshin's eyes saddened slightly.

"You big dummy! You hurt Kenshin-nii's feelings! Say sorry!" Takahiro squeaked in rage.

Kenshin grabbed the boy as he was about to jump on his father. "Stop Takahiro. You can't speak to your father this way."

The father flinched. "Don't touch him!" Kenshin let go, but he was startled as Shouhei grabbed his sleeve.

"He's not dangerous. He doesn't have a katana. So…can we play with him?"

"No! He's dangerous, you little fool! You have no idea!" the father roared. Saito smiled in amusement. The guard couldn't speak as he stared in horror at the children who sat with the Hitokiri Battousai.

Shouhei hugged Kenshin. "No he's not."

Kenshin looked uneasily at the older boy. "You shouldn't do this, listen to your father."

"No! He's being mean!"

Kenshin patted his head, sending up a roar of protests from the guard and the father. "No he's not. Everyone does that."

The boy looked up at Kenshin. "But that's sad."

Kenshin's eyes widened in surprise, and then he turned his head so no one could see his face.

Saito looked at them. "Why not let them?"

The boys looked up and the father took a step away from Saito, spluttering.

"They're right. Right now he's harmless and he doesn't seem like a threat to your children." Kenshin looked up at Saito questioningly. "And you can get one with our meeting. The Battousai could act as a babysitter for now."

The boys laughed, smothering Kenshin. "Yay! We like you squinty eye guy!"

Saito scowled at them, making them hide behind Kenshin. But Kenshin shocked the men and Saito by laughing. He patted the boys' heads. "Call him that from now on."

The boys smiled, but Kenshin froze up suddenly and he looked at Saito. "What happened to I'izuka, Saito?"

Saito looked emotionlessly at Kenshin. "I killed him." Kenshin started, and was somewhat upset. "You should be happy. That man was scum, he asked us to kill you." Kenshin's face showed his surprise and sadness.

Saito left, with the father of the boys pestering him with questions. The boys looked up at Kenshin's saddened face. "Who's I'izuka?" asked Shouhei.

"Someone…I thought was a friend." Kenshin said quietly.

Shouhei hugged Kenshin again, startling him. "We're your friends now!"

Kenshin smiled tenderly and patted Shouhei. The guard cleared his throat. Glaring at Kenshin he sat by the door, watching him. "You had better not try anything, Battousai."

Kenshin looked at him emotionlessly for a moment, and then ignored him. "What do you guys want to do?" He asked the two boys.

Saito looked at the setting sun, as he walked with the man back to the Battousai's room. When he opened the door he found Kenshin on the floor with both of the boys sleeping with their heads in his lap. The father walked in and grimaced.

"Shouhei! Takahiro!" the man barked. The boys didn't wake up. Kenshin gently shook them. Dazed the boys sat up with messy hair and heavy eyes. Shouhei looked at his father, and then to Kenshin.

"Not already?" the boy groaned, looking unhappily at his father's presence.

"It's time to go." the man ordered his sons to come.

Takahiro wandered over to his father's side slowly. "Bye Kenshin-nii."

Shouhei stood up and so did Kenshin. Shouhei was taller than Kenshin, and this surprised the father and Saito slightly.

Shouhei mumbled a goodbye, but didn't move. Kenshin smiled and said goodbye, but the boy didn't move. Suddenly he kissed Kenshin, and ran out of the room. Everyone in the room flinched and gawked. Kenshin was frozen in his place, pale and staring blankly at the door in shock.

Saito frowned at the father. "You need to fix that boy of yours."

The man was horrified and he left without a word. Kenshin still had not moved. Saito looked at him curiously, and then hit him on the head. "Bye Onee-san." Kenshin glared at him.

Saito left the guard who was in shock at the door.

The next day, Shouhei came in with Saito. Kenshin watched them enter the room.

"I wanted to say sorry Kenshin-nii for yesterday. My actions were inappropriate."

Kenshin looked at Shouhei a little more closely.

"But I still love you!" Shouhei blurted and Saito smacked him in the back of the head.

"Don't make the Battousai into a pedophile, too. He's already considered a monster."

"How old are you?" Kenshin said, shocking the boy and Saito. The guard flinched and was uneasy.

"You're not considering this…" Saito was cut off as the boy answered. "I'm 17, so it would only be illegal for a year at most."

Kenshin started. "I thought you were a little kid!" Kenshin was completely shocked.

"You…are you actually a pedophile?" Saito narrowed his eyes at Kenshin's strange response. The boy looked hopeful.

"No! No, god no." Kenshin said, cringing. Then he looked at the Shouhei who was upset by this. "It's impossible for me to be a pedophile, I'm only 15."

The room was silent. Shouhei jumped on Kenshin. "That's perfect!" he exclaimed. Saito was dumbfounded, as was the guard. The father walked in and was startled to find such a strange situation. His son on top of the Hitokiri Battousai, Sato Hajime with lifeless eyes, and a fainted guard.

"Fa..father." the Shouhei said uneasily.

"Saito!" the man shook Saito. "What are you doing?"

"Your son's going to become a pedophile."

"What?" roared the man in fury.

"The Battousai…is younger than your son." Saito watched for the man's response.

The man gaped. "Then this is illegal? He's a child? We can't kill him?"

"Father!" exclaimed Shouhei. "I wouldn't let you do that anyway!" He hugged Kenshin.

Kenshin suddenly shoved him away. "Get off of me!"

This violent act, surprised the room. The guard had reawakened when the father had stepped into the room.

"I'm not gay!" Kenshin glared.

Shouhei was silent. Then he pushed Kenshin down and held him by his wrists. "You don't know until you try."

"Your son wants to rape the Hitokiri Battousai." Saito said amused as they struggled on the bed. Shouhei won, thanks to his advantageous position. He kissed Kenshin on the lips.

"No!" Kenshin's eyes flashed with anger and he hurled Shouhei off of the bed. Kenshin took Saito's sword to the guard's and the father's horror.

Saito grabbed Kenshin. "Calm down."

Kenshin did just that immediately, alarming Saito. Saito took the sword from Kenshin. "No!" the boy protested on the ground, glaring at Saito. "He's mine! You get your hands off of him."

Saito smirked and hugged Kenshin to torture the boy. Kenshin head butted him.

"Aw…fuck." Saito held his nose as blood streamed.

"Pedophile." Kenshin smirked at Saito.

The father was distressed and he yanked his son off of the floor. "What the hell is wrong with you? He almost killed you!"

"But he didn't….this must mean he loves me too!"

"You're a moron." Kenshin said blankly. Saito laughed a little, showing his agreement.

"You know what?" the father said, interrupting Saito's laughing. "I think you're right. My son is a moron who needs to be re-educated." He pushed the boy into Kenshin. "Let's see you get killed, foolish son of mine." Kenshin narrowed his eyes in disapproval, but he recoiled as Shouhei pushed his face closer to Kenshin's and Kenshin took a step back. His heel hit Saito's foot, and he lost his balance and he fell with Shouhei on top of him.

Kenshin flinched as his arm throbbed. Saito noticed this and yanked the boy off of him by his collar.

"I knew it! You want him for yourself!" the boy exclaimed angrily, flinging his arms at Saito. "Squinty-eyed pedophi…." Saito opened the door and threw the boy out. "Urusai!" (trans: You're noisy…shut up)

Kenshin got up from the floor. "Did I do that?" Saito asked indicating the arm Kenshin was holding.

"I'm not sure. I can't remember if it happened before or during the blast, but I think it was during." He looked up at Saito. "You didn't get hurt at all?"

Saito stared down at Kenshin for a moment. "No, I think you got the full force of the explosion instead. I remember that your arm stained my clothes, though."

"Gomen." (trans: sorry) Kenshin paused. "I owe you a lot." Kenshin said more to himself, and he frowned.

"For bringing you here? That's not really a thing you should feel indebted to me for…you're a prisoner here."

"No, I meant for digging me out. There wasn't going to be anyone coming to look for me."

Saito thought for a moment. "I was paying you back for stopping the rubble from crushing us both." Kenshin looked up. "We're even." Saito left.

The guard looked at Kenshin. "You really helped Saito-sama?"

Kenshin paused. "It was more like a reflex. I just protected another human being, I didn't see it as anything more."

The guard looked Kenshin over. "You're not as horrible as I thought." Kenshin was caught off guard.

His eyes widened and a small smile cracked his lips awkwardly. "Thank you." He said slowly, and whole-heartedly.

The next morning, Kenshin was awoken by raised voices outside his door, the guard was standing outside. Curious, Kenshin opened the door and stuck his head out, ending up in the middle of the small group of people. They didn't notice and continued.

"If the Hitokiri Battousai is really in there we should kill him!" yelled a young samurai, he was talking to Shouhei. "We don't need permission. The higher ups are hesitated so that this would happen on its own, and they needn't tarnish their hands with his kind. He's a blood-thirsty, bastard! And he…." Kenshin was annoyed and decided to interfere.

"is right here." Kenshin finished for the man, making the entire group fall silent and stare at him dumbly. His eyes were bored as he surveyed those gawking at him, and Kenshin waited for the response he knew was to come.

The group broke up as the strangers retreated a few steps in horror. "It's the Battousai!"

"Yes? You called." Kenshin said sarcastically, but straight faced. He wasn't thrilled by how his day had begun.

"You…you!" stammered one of the men and he calmed and smiled nervously. "I'll fight you!"

Kenshin looked bored. "No." Shouhei spoke up, supporting him…in a way.

"Don't worry Kenshin, I'll protect you!" he took the guard's katana clumsily. The guard reached for Shouhei in protest. Kenshin looked at him strangely.

"Shouhei….when did you start calling me by my first name....by just my first name?"

"Since I found out that you were my junior." He smiled and turned to face the samurai. "Now watch me Kenshin!"

Kenshin was whispering with the guard as Shouhei answered Kenshin's question, and now the guard gave Kenshin his sheath.

"Shouhei, put the sword down." Kenshin said, walking towards the boy.

Shouhei didn't turn around. "No Kenshin, I'll protect you with my life!" Shouhei turned as Kenshin tapped his shoulder. "Yes Kenshin?" Shouhei turned smiling brightly.

Kenshin smacked the sword out of Shouhei's hand, sending the blade flying into the opposite wall.

Shouhei didn't move and his smile faltered, feeling virbrations in his hand. "Wow…you're pretty strong…" Kenshin was unnerved to see some fear in Shouhei's eyes.

"Raahhh!" the samurai charged at Kenshin and his companion pulled out his own blade.

Saito peered around the corner as he walked with a man reading a book in the direction of Kenshin's confinement, hearing swords clanging against metal.

"Are they at it again?" the man with his nose in a book asked Saito as he heard the noise. He followed Saito without looking up and stopped when Saito stopped.

Kenshin was returning the sheath to the amazed guard and the young samurai were on the ground, groaning with the pain from their forming bruises.

"The racket ended so soon?" the man still did not remove his eyes from the book.

"It was stopped, but not by an official…" Saito answered.

"Ah, who was it? A good kid among all of these brats? What's your name?" the man was addressing Kenshin, but didn't look at him.

"Himura Kenshin."

"A good name! Let's get a look at you…" the man looked up at Kenshin. His face was blank for a second. "Is this a joke?"

"No, this is the Hitokiri Battousai." Saito said seriously.

"Oh….What the hell…..?" The man pointed rudely at Kenshin. "He's just a brat! And he's correcting our misguided youths!" Misguided youths?...everyone thought in confusion. "He can't be the Hitokiri Battousai! He said his name is Himura Kenshin!"

"Can't the Hitokiri Battousai have a real name?" Kenshin said, frowning at his unpleasant morning.

The man looked Kenshin over with critical eyes. "So…we have to get information out of him? That'll be hard."

Kenshin jerked with realization, he had forgotten he was in a potentially dangerous situation by being at the Shinsengumi base.

Shouhei yelled at the man. "You can't do that! He's only 15!"

The man raised his eyebrows a fraction of an inch. "But this is war, and he is a part of it. Age cannot mean anything in war, everyone who holds a katana is potentially lethal."

"He won't say anything at all…" Saito drew the group's attention. "He's a horrible liar."

Kenshin was amazed. "How did you know that?"

Everyone except for Saito gawked at Kenshin. A murderer who couldn't lie?

Saito smirked, "You seem like you would be."

"Isn't it good not to be a liar?" Saito slowly started to answer Kenshin but stopped as he looked on in annoyance as Shouhei.

"Kenshin, that's so…." Shouhei bear hugged Kenshin. "Cute!"

Kenshin's eyes deadened and the others looked on in horror. Saito laughed at Kenshin quietly.

"The Hitokiri Battousai? Cute?" one of the youth samurai said from the ground, disgusted.

"But he's so tiny! And he's good with kids…and he's shy." Shouhei added to his list as Kenshin squirmed out of Shouhei's grasp.

"Don't call me cute." Kenshin stood away from Shouhei, his hair disheveled and his fists clenched in frustration at the boy's persistence. It was quiet.

"So….cute!" Shouhei dove at Kenshin, but Kenshin stepped a side.

Saito laughed, "After that description…." He didn't finish, but continued to laugh at Kenshin.

Kenshin glared at him. "Squinty-eyed pervert." Kenshin said calmly.

Saito stopped laughing and glared at Kenshin who was smirking.

The others were aghast. "Squinty-eyed…what?" stammered the confused man.

"Kind of an inside joke from the day before yesterday." Saito tried to explain.

"No! You are one! You squinty-eyed pervert!" Shouhei yelled, finally getting up off the ground.

The others looked critically at Saito who scowled at them in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

Kenshin looked at the seriousness in the room and frowned. "It's a joke and…oh!" Kenshin caught their attention when he realized something. "I said it wrong."

The others were gaping, overwhelmed by the situation.

"The name was squinty-eyed pedophile."

The samurai were only partially alive, drowning in the oddness of the situation, and the man dropped his book.

"You! Shut up already!" Saito hit Kenshin in the back of the head.

Shouhei attacked Saito.

"What a strange situation." the man mumbled and then he remembered his book and picked it up. "Saito, I didn't know you had such a relationship with…"

"I don't" Saito yelled in frustration, pushing off the boy. He glared at Kenshin. "This is your fault, Battousai."

The man frowned in thought, but sighed. "Saito, we got distracted. Now we're late."

"Oh…damn. The meeting." Saito said in annoyance, holding Shouhei away from himself by his face. He flung the boy away.

"It includes what we'll be doing with the Battousai." the man said, looking at Kenshin.

Kenshin had no reaction.

"Should we bring him?" the man said, continuing to watch Kenshin.

"Eh?" Saito said in surprise. "What are you saying?"

"We could bring him, how about it?" he addressed Kenshin.

"I'd like to, actually." Kenshin said.

"I don't know if that'd be a good idea…." Saito spoke up. "Wouldn't that be providing him with information instead of getting information?"

"He's not going anywhere." Saito didn't say anything. "Come Himura."

Kenshin looked up at the man in wonder. The man noticed this. "What is it?"

"You called me by my name."

The man raised his eyebrows.

"I…I…nevermind."

"You don't like the name Battousai do you?"

Saito was alarmed by this.

"No….I really hate it, actually." Kenshin said quietly.

"Too bad it fits you!" one of the samurai said standing up, grimacing in pain. Kenshin frowned and his eyes were saddened.

"We'll take you with us to the meeting. One more won't be noticed." The man said turning. Saito walked past Kenshin, and after a moment's hesitation Kenshin joined them.

"I'm going to come too!" Shouhei called after them, but Saito glared at him. "You were banned, remember? You're too damn loud."

Shouhei stopped following them, and grumbled as he watched Kenshin leave with them.

They opened the door, and Kenshin was surprised by the number of people the room contained. No one bothered to look up as they entered.


	2. Chapter 2

I would like to warn you beforehand that my style of writting has...changed a lot, since I first started writting this chapter. I think you'll notice. I finnished it on the spur of a moment tonight.

All I can say is that I laughed at it...for whatever that's worth.

Enjoy. ^^

* * *

Kenshin was surprised by the number of people the room contained. No one bothered to look up as they entered. Kenshin sat down quietly between Saito and the man in a discreet corner of the room.

"Well, at least they tend to start late…" the man said, looking around. He took up his book again and read it in silence.

Saito scowled. "These fools didn't even notice you." Kenshin looked around too, noting the volume of the contrasting mesh of voices.

Slowly the room quieted as those at the front of it raised their hands for silence. "Let us begin…."

They spoke of how to face the Ishin Shishi in their next confrontation, and hearing their plans, Kenshin wondered why he had been brought. It didn't make any sense. Kenshin critically listened to their plan and noted in amazement at the number of casualties that would be sacrificed if they were to use a specific and popular plan. They would attack forces with two decoy companies of soldiers and then push forward with a third into a specified barricade protecting a few minor officials. This was to take place outside Kyoto, so it wouldn't involve Saito.

Kenshin gritted his teeth. "Foolish and unnecessary." He breathed loud enough for Saito to hear him.

Saito glanced at him. "It's simple and foolproof."

"But you're forsaking a great number of your men." Kenshin whispered.

"It doesn't matter as long as the other side receives heavier losses and the goal is reached, which is guaranteed."

"But what does that matter when your men are dying?" Kenshin was outraged. "You're killing them off, their lives have more worth!" he whispered fiercely.

Saito looked bored, "It is worth the loss, and what have you to say about the lives you've stolen?"

"I've never said what I do is any better, but the number of people is grossly different. I kill one or two when you kill ten or twenty." Kenshin glared at Saito.

"But we don't have a Hitokiri Battousai to do that." Saito said watching Kenshin with a calm, if not uncaring, expression.

Kenshin scowled. Saito could even act as a Hitokiri, it wasn't a matter of skill but heartlessness was what Saito was implying. "I suppose so…that fantastic characteristic of mine is hard to forget." Kenshin muttered sarcastically, making Saito blink. They were quiet for a moment.

Their little argument had not been as unnoticed as they had first assumed. Kenshin soon detected, to his rising dread, a pair of eyes watching him with horror. "Saito." He breathed, startling the man. Saito followed the Battousai's line of sight and frowned sharply when he met the pair of eyes.

"Why did we bring him again?" Saito scowled at the man who had only recently put his book down. The man never got a chance to answer when he was distracted by the scene before him.

The man staring at Kenshin stood up. The boys' father happened to be accompanying the man who was the source of the up in coming disturbance and, when he noticed Kenshin, he sharply pulled his companion down and made up a hurried excuse for the swordsman's presence.

Saito and Kenshin listened, both apprehensive about the whole ordeal. Unfortunately the voices were low and other sounds interfered, but they understood the point that was made. Takahiro and Shouhei's father convinced the man that Kenshin's presence was part of some technique the man with the book, who was made out as being the one in charge of interrogating the Battousai, was using and that they should not disrupt it. Saito's presence was used to support the claim, using his rank and obvious approval. The man watched Kenshin for a while longer, but gave in with a reluctant nod.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed slightly as he memorized the man's face and then they flicked to his right before moving left to the man whose hand rested on his book. His fleeting glance at Saito had revealed that part of the excuse had been truth. The man beside him, who sat so calmly, held Kenshin's fate in his hands.

Time passed slowly, drawn by a biting anxiety that refused to leave the young samurai. Kenshin masked his emotions, forming his face into a dull, average expression he saw duplicated in the men around him. Saito noticed this out of the corner of his black eyes, only allowing them to flick towards the younger man sparingly, trying to avoid being caught in the act. The slender shoulder's had stiffened and then suddenly relaxed and the bright aura that had surrounded him before flickered and dispersed, leaving him to blend with the others of the room. It was fascinating and depressing at the same time. One of his age being forced to know how to do such a thing…but then the skill itself… Saito was distracted by these thoughts and could only remember a few main points that had been made during the meeting and the hour and a half seemed like minutes.

This time was marked and a new event in the two men's lives began as the book was folded into itself and left on the low table. The man stood and walked to the front of the room, his face unreadable to all. He had done this before his specified time, Kenshin noticed, appreciating the thought, as the man had done so to avoid bringing attention to the area where the red haired swordsman sat. It bothered Kenshin, the mask he was forcing, as it prevented him from showing his thanks to the man that now stood at the front of the room…not allowing his thoughts to even surface in his violet eyes. He blinked though, when he realized that he had just become the subject of the meeting.

Saito had prepared himself for this since his decision to take the Battousai back to the headquarters instead of killing him. His expression underwent no change.

"You may or may not yet be aware that we have captured one…whom many have claimed to be a demon, a madman, who stalks the night and who becomes the horror stories which will never be written for the fear of reincarnation from example." Violet eyes glinted gold for a moment, seen only by Saito. "I speak of the manslayer, the Hitokiri Battousai."

Murmuring commenced like the flood of a breaking dam. Some voices were loud, while others were whispers or even breaths, holding their own as individual rushing torrents in the shattering peace. Saito observed as Kenshin's posture weakened for a moment, and his body drifted back, away from the man at the front of the room. Once Kenshin had fixed this mistake, Saito turned his eyes to the front, letting them widen at the vacancy he found in them.

This isn't funny. Saito glanced at the others in the room, knowing that the focus on the Battousai would bring the color red to sensitive scrutiny. There was no way Kenshin would not be noticed. Saito cursed under his breath, but Kenshin forced himself not to look, afraid of movement.

"The Hitokiri's identity is known. His direct commander has been revealed…and his reign is over." There were voices that threatened to disrupt the man, but he spoke louder, quieting them to shock. "However! I would like to tell you of the man known as the manslayer. I would like to tell you that this monster is…but a child in all honesty." There may have been an uproar if the speaker had been a weaker man, but his gaze, the experience and wisdom in his eyes, commanded silence. "His name is Himura Kenshin. A name not within records…while Himura Shinta is."

Saito sensed the violent rise of Kenshin's ki as his eyes could not hide his dismay…or perhaps disbelief…the emotions were a mixture of both.

"Parents, dead. Not a very unusual story for a child in a time like this one, though it was disease that took them. I am afraid he fades from paperwork after this…"

Kenshin's head dipped for a moment, his show of relief.

"…as it was said that he was sold to slavers, but the said slavers were found slaughtered by bandits."

Kenshin had stiffened again. Saito's eyes couldn't help but pick this up, though his attention was funneled in on the speaker.

"Then these bandits were also killed, much in the same manner the Batousai is known to slay…so the story continues past the papers. Now, he is said to be fifteen, supported by the assumed past we have uncovered. He has direct correspondence with Katsura Koguro…."

There were a few outbursts in the form of airy words or gasps.

"…and we will attempt to gather as much information as is possible from him, but I seek the right to divert from tradition we have fallen into for these matters. I wish to use trust and more peaceful means…"

Red hair fell before Kenshin's face as he readied for what he knew was inevitable.

"That is impossible! Battousai is a monster. This is not an exaggeration, but supported fact. He kills for bloodlust. He would not cooperate but fight us, teeth, nails, and..." The voice had no face as it was many together with their own contributions on one belief.

"Well, the man you describe would surely never be able to become one with society. A demon of the darkness instead. Am I right?" the man spoke calmly, seeming to accept their thought.

"Yes."

"Then how may he come among us and only draw a single pair of eyes?"

There was silence as eyes swept across the room and stopped on the red hair. Grown men gaped at the small figure that sat beside Saito Hajime as it was staring at the table, expressionless. Several stood to get a better look, causing those behind them to do the same. Soon a sea of bodies isolated the two.

Kenshin sighed suddenly, making a few flinch. "I actually thought that today could be pleasant."

"Hm." Saito smirked at the confused faces. "What were you thinking?"

"I have no idea. People always said I was stupid…guess I am."

Saito didn't care much for the attention and he decided to act as if it didn't exist and he laughed even as disgust and amazement poured into the eyes. Saito Hajime never laughed. It was practically a law set by the gods.

"Don't laugh, what kind of position do you think that'll put you in? Squinty-eyed…"

Kenshin's head was forced forward as Saito hit him, as had become habit. "I swear if that name gets around I'll…"

"YOU STUPID SQUINTY-EYED PEDOPHILE! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO KENSHIN-NII?" The room turned in unison to the little boy who had been hiding by his father, having been allowed to take Shouhei's spot after he had been banned. His father was beet-red as Takahiro was now standing on the table, pointing directly at Saito who had gone pale.

Kenshin's face was hidden behind his hair and his shoulder's were shaking, making Takahiro's voice squeak louder. "YOU MADE HIM CRY!" The boy paused as Kenshin's laugh escaped him and he looked up at Saito, still struggling not to grin…not succeeding.

"I guess it was inevitable, Saito. You're reputation is ruined."

Saito was too distracted by the sea of odd looks he was getting, to get mad at Kenshin. "This isn't funny, Battousai. I'm not a freakin' pervert…kid doesn't get it..." He growled, looking at Takahiro. This made the boy jump off the table. Most assumed he was running for the door, as many men in his position would do, but instead, he ran directly to Saito, changing direction at the last second, and hiding behind Kenshin. With the red haired barrier, the boy had the courage to stick out his tongue.

"Shouhei-nii said that it was a good nickname for you."

"But…I'm not…really I'm…" Saito looked at the glares and building hostility. Then he turned on Kenshin who laughed, quietly, in his face.

"To think that you attract more attention than I do…you should be awarded if you have enough valor to overcome this…squinty-eyed…"

"It's your damn fault." Saito hissed over the voices.

"I think it's a great nickname for you. The pedophile and the murderer, what a perfect pair…but I didn't think…"

A loud and obviously forced cough from the front of the room collected the disorder and people started and sat down, wincing as the boy settled in Kenshin's lap.

"So I'll assume I can go about with what I had planned." The man coughed again, giving his opinion on the matter. "So this concludes the meeting." No one moved for a moment, paralyzed by what had just happened. Once movement did begin, the man at the front of the room stopped them and apologized. He looked at Saito and a smile flashed across his face, though he hid it quickly. "I would like to make sure all of you understand that Saito Hajime…may have squinty eyes…but he is, in fact, not a pedophile."

The only sound that followed was Saito's grumbled agreement.


End file.
